NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

Basil to Gregory.Letter CLXIX. 2559Basil to Gregory. 2560You have undertaken a kindly and charitable task in getting together the captive troopof the insolent Glycerius (at present I must so write), and, so far as in you lay, covering ourcommon shame. It is only right that your reverence should undo this dishonour with a fullknowledge of the facts about him.This grave and venerable Glycerius of yours was ordained by me deacon of the churchof Venesa 2561 to serve the presbyter, and look after the work of the Church, for, though thefellow is in other respects intractable, he is naturally clever at manual labour. No soonerwas he appointed than he neglected his work, as though there had been absolutely nothingto do. But, of his own private power and authority, he got together some wretched virgins,some of whom came to him of their own accord (you know how young people are proneto anything of this kind), and others were unwillingly forced to accept him as leader of theircompany. Then he assumed the style and title of patriarch, and began all of a sudden toplay the man of dignity. He had not attained to this on any reasonable or pious ground; hisonly object was to get a means of livelihood, just as some men start one trade and some another.He has all but upset the whole Church, scorning his own presbyter, a man venerableboth by character and age; scorning his chorepiscopus, and myself, as of no account at all,continually filling the town and all the clergy with disorder and disturbance. And now, onbeing mildly rebuked by me and his chorepiscopus, that he may not treat us with contempt(for he was trying to stir the younger men to like insubordination), he is meditating conductmost audacious and inhuman. After robbing as many of the virgins as he could, he hasmade off by night. I am sure all this will have seemed very sad to you. Think of the timetoo. The feast was being held there, and, as was natural, large numbers of people weregathered together. He, however, on his side, brought out his own troop, who followed youngmen and danced round them, causing all well-disposed persons to be most distressed, whileloose chatterers laughed aloud. And even this was not enough, enormous as was the scandal.I am told that even the parents of the virgins, finding their bereavement unendurable,wishful to bring home the scattered company, and falling with not unnatural sighs and tearsat their daughters’ feet, have been insulted and outraged by this excellent young man and2182559 Placed in 374, on the misconduct of Glycerius, a deacon.2560 Tillemont says either of Nyssa or Nazianzus. In the ms. Coisl. I. it is preceded by lxxi., unquestionablyaddressed to Gregory of Nazianzus, and inscribed “to the same.” In the Codex Harl. it is inscribed Γρηγορί&251· ἑταίρῳ. Garnier, however (Vit. S. Bas. xxxi. § iv.) allows that there are arguments in favor of Gregory ofNyssa. Probably it is the elder Gregory who is addressed. See Prolegomena.2561 Or Veësa, or Synnasa; the mss. vary.629